In this study I would like to examine the significance of
the number fourteen. The meaning of fourteen is related to the Hebrew characters that represent fourteen, the yod (ten) - י
and the dalet (four) - ד. Fourteen is thus represented as: יד. Yod dalet, in addition to being a number,
is also the Hebrew word for “hand” – yad - יד. Fourteen is also the number of joints in
the human hand.

Our Sages teach that the number fourteen symbolizes the
"strong hand" or "yad hachzaka" (יד החזקה)
of Moshe, who was the recipient of the Torah.[1]

Sefer Yad Hachzaka is also the subtitle of the MishnehTorah,
a code of Jewish law (halakha)
by Maimonides.[2]
The Mishneh Torah is
regarded as Maimonides' magnum opus. The work consists of fourteen books.

Maimonides also wrote a book titled Sefer HaMitzvot (The Book of the
Commandments). This book sets forth a series of fourteen “roots” which are
general principles for identifying, enumerating, and classifying the Torah’s
mitzvot.

Finally, Maimonides also wrote a book titled, “The Guide for the Perplexed”. In
this book he informs us that he has “divided all the commandments into fourteen
classes”.[3]

In the life of Yaaqov

Yaaqov left his parents' home in Be’er Sheva at age 63, but
arrived in Charan 14 years later at age 77. Our sages explain that for fourteen years Yaaqov hid himself in the home of his ancestor and teacher, Eber (the great-grandson of Shem), where he immersed himself in the study of Torah.

When he completed his studies,
Yaaqov worked fourteen years for Rachel. This is where we find the first use of
the number fourteen in the Torah:

Bereshit
(Genesis) 31:41 Thus have I been twenty
years in thy house; I served thee fourteen
years for thy two daughters, and six
years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten
times.

From previous verses we know that Yaaqov worked seven years to earn Rachel and received Leah. He then
worked an additional seven years to acquire Rachel. The fourteen years are made
up of two sets of seven years. Further, these two sets
of seven were for the purpose of securing and providing for his wives.

This suggests that the meaning
of fourteen is: The strong hand of HaShem to acquire
and take care of His Beloved Bride. As Yaaqov worked to secure his
brides, So HaShem works with His strong hand to
acquire His bride.

Rachel was barren for fourteen years before she bore Yaaqov
two sons, who became fourteen when they entered Mitzrayim.

Bereshit
(Genesis) 46:22 These are
the sons of Rachel, whom she bore to Yaaqov: all the souls, fourteen.

This pasuk suggests that the care that Yaaqov lavished on
his beloved allowed her raise up fourteen children and grandchildren. We know
that ten of these grandchildren are the sons of Benyamin.
Yosef had two children. Finally there were her
children, Yosef and Benyamin.

* * *

Another way to understand the meaning of the number fourteen
is to see it as a compound number composed of the ‘ten’
part and the ‘four’ part. As we have seen, in Hebrew the number fourteen is also a compound number.

We learned in our study of the Temple that the body of Mashiach is a body composed
of the righteous of Israel.
This body is a unity composed of parts. The body is composed of Israel and the head is Mashiach. This is the
ultimate expression of ten: A unity made of parts.

According to Chazal,
our Sages, the number four signifies
completion, wholeness, or fullness.

Thus the compound
number fourteen has the meaning of its parts: A
whole or complete unity as expressed in the body of Mashiach who is the
complete unity composed of member, the righteous of israel.

* * *

How many times does ‘Zeh toledot’ (these are the generations) appear in the Tanakh?
The answer is thirteen, and they are found in:

1. Genesis 2:4

2. Genesis 5:1

3. Genesis 6:9

4. Genesis 10:1

5. Genesis 10:32

6. Genesis 11:10

7. Genesis 11:27

8. Genesis 25:12

9. Genesis 25:19

10. Genesis 36:1,9

11. Genesis 37:2

12. Exodus 6: 16,19

13. Numbers 3:1

‘Zeh toledot’ appears an
additional time in Matthew’s genealogy. Matthews
genealogy makes fourteen. This means that his genealogy had to have divisions
of fourteen.

Gen. Rabbah 57:1 tells us
that Rivka was three years old. The Hakham suggests
that this is 3.5 times the fourhermaneutic
levels (peshat, remez, drash, and sod)
which = 13.5.

The Rebbe Ramash, in his gloss to the Haggada,
explains the Mishna (beginning of Pesachim):
"On the evening of the fourteenth, one searches for chametz
by the light of a lamp". Fourteen is the aspect of midot, the emotional
attributes (corresponding to the seven midot of the
Divine soul and the seven midot of the animal soul); here one needs to search
for chametz, and the search must be by the light of a lamp - that is:

Mishlei 20:27 The soul of a man is a lamp of G-d.

* * *

The number of stitches used to stitch together the tefillin,
is fourteen.

* * *

At the Pesach seder we have: four cups of wine, three matzot, six
items on seder plate (beitza, z'roa, karpas, chazeret, marror, charoset),
and salt water = fourteen items used at the seder.

We spent fourteen years conquering and settling the Land of Israel by Joshua and the twelvetribes.

* * *

There were fourteen separate ritual components of the seder, kadeshurchatz, etc. (Motzi-matzah
is regarded as one).

* * *

Sukkah 27a R. ELIEZER SAID, A MAN IS OBLIGED TO EAT
FOURTEEN MEALS IN THE SUKKAH, ONE ON EACH DAY AND
ONE ON EACH NIGHT. THE SAGES HOWEVER SAY, THERE IS NO FIXED NUMBER EXCEPT ON
THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE FESTIVAL ALONE.

* * *

The word "return" is used fourteen times in the Megilla of Ruth (the
word in v4:15 is of the same root but has a different meaning, a not uncommon
finding when using this method). This indicates that it is the Key-Word, one
that encodes and conceals the key to interpretation. This tells us that the
concept of return is the key to
understanding this book.

* * *

The word, hineini,
appears just fourteen times
in the Tanach, but each time it appears in a memorable and meaningful story.